1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to surveillance camera systems and, more particularly, to multi-axes mounting assemblies for supporting a fixed position surveillance camera.
2. Description of the Related Art
Surveillance camera systems are commonly used by retail stores, banks, casinos and other organizations to monitor activities within a given area. The two main categories of surveillance cameras are (1) fixed position cameras, and (2) pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras. Fixed position cameras are mounted in a fixed position and cannot be readily adjusted after installation. Fixed position cameras acquire images of a fixed area. PTZ cameras are equipped to be readily adjusted after installation, such that PTZ cameras can pan, tilt or zoom to acquire images of different areas. Oftentimes, each camera is linked to a dedicated video display unit in a security surveillance room with surveillance personnel monitoring the multiple video display units.
Surveillance cameras may be mounted within a dome constructed of a one-way view material that is transparent when viewing outward and non-transparent when viewing inward to prevent unauthorized individuals from determining the area being viewed by the camera. The cameras are often fixedly mounted to a support structure using a mounting assembly. Such mounting assemblies are known to include means for manually adjusting the tilt and/or pan of fixed cameras during installation of the camera. The tilt of the camera generally refers to the pivoting of the camera about a horizontal access that is parallel to the floor, such that the lens of the camera tilts between an upward pointing position and a downward pointing position. The pan of the camera refers to the rotation of the camera about a vertical axis that is perpendicular to the floor, such that the lens moves from side to side.
Casino surveillance systems also commonly include one or more cameras dedicated to each gaming table. Since each camera is linked to a dedicated video display unit, the security surveillance room contains numerous video display units (one for each camera). As a result, surveillance personnel must monitor numerous video display units at once. To ease the transition between viewing one display unit to viewing the next display unit, it is beneficial if the angles of the views are consistent with one another. To achieve this consistency, the camera is “squared” with the gaming area of the table being monitored. When squaring a camera with a casino table, one might adjust the yaw angle of the camera such that an edge of the gaming area is aligned parallel with either a horizontal line or vertical line on the video display unit. The yaw refers to the rotation of the camera about a horizontal axis extending through the center of the lens, such that the camera body and lens are rotated as a single unit about the axis. By squaring each camera with its respective gaming table, each of the video display units display consistent views of the gaming tables. Some gaming commissions require the “squaring-up” of such fixed cameras used to monitor the action of gaming tables.
The squaring-up of a fixed camera with respect to a gaming table often requires rotation about the yaw axis of the camera. Standard surveillance cameras, fixed and PTZ cameras, mounted in retail stores, warehouses, factories, banks and other establishments that commonly employ surveillance cameras are typically not adjustable about the camera body or yaw axis as is required to “square-up” a camera with respect to a gaming table. This adjustment of the camera body produces an image, that while useful for monitoring gaming tables, produces an image that, in other contexts, would be considered awkward and at an unusual angle. Standard mounting assemblies for such cameras typically do not account for the easy adjustment of the camera about the yaw axis and, consequently, properly mounting such cameras in a casino can be relatively difficult.
A need exists for a camera mounting assembly that may be easily adjusted to facilitate the “squaring-up” of a surveillance camera with a gaming table.